THE

WELDING OF ALUMINIUM
MIG & TIG FUSION

POCKET GUIDE

Aluminium Federation of
Southern Africa

Second Edition: 2004 © AFSA

Aluminium Welding - Bring Big Ideas to Life

Aluminium can be joined in many ways - a critical requirement in

fabrication as whole products are usually formed from a number of
parts. Joining methods include demountable systems such as
bolting as well as more permanent methods including welding,
especially where continuity of joining is required.

Aluminium welding is a discipline that can and needs to be learned.

Correctly applied, fabricators find that an aluminium welded product
is quicker to manufacture than the equivalent performing steel
fabrication - and it offers a 40% mass advantage.

Aluminium welding opens opportunity in fabrication.

z The skill levels required for aluminium welding are higher but
the number of hours per volume are significantly lower.
z While the hours required per ton for aluminium welding are
higher, the metal is three times
lighter than steel with the result
that overall, aluminium
fabrication is cheaper.
z Aluminium fabrication
uses commonly available
tools.
z Welded aluminium
fabrications can be
repaired.
z The South African
Institute of Welding has
programmes to advance
aluminium welding skills
of welders, supervisors
and welding engineers.

2
 Introduction

Aluminium and its alloys are routinely welded and brazed in industry
by a variety of methods. As expected they present their own
requirements for the welded joint to be a success. Welding aluminium
alloys is not more difficult or complicated than welding steel - it is
just different and requires specific training. Aluminium and its alloys
are easy to weld, but their welding characteristics need to be under-
stood and the proper procedures employed.

* This booklet examines the special needs for fusion welding of

aluminium and its alloys - using the most common, modern
methods plus providing practical hints, tips and traps to ensure
successful joints.

It is assumed that welding personnel have had previous exposure to

the TIG / GTAW and MIG / GMAW processes through use with steel
applications - so the hints and advice herein are specific to
Aluminium.

It is not possible in a booklet of this size to give exhaustive techni-

cal information - such detailed information is available in several
other publications from AFSA such as:
z Aluminium Welding Guide z Introduction to Aluminium
z Aluminium Design Guide z Aluminium Fabrication Guide

These and other publications cover brazing, soldering, resistance

and other types of aluminium welding.
Copyright:
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a data base, or
retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publishers.

Disclaimer:
To the best of our knowledge, the information in this book is
accurate. AFSA assumes no responsibility whatsoever for errors in,
or misinterpretation of, the information in this book or in its use.

3
 1. The Welding of Aluminium

The most common commercial aluminium and aluminium alloy

welding methods use an electric arc with either a continuously fed
wire electrode [with DC current, with and without pulsed current] or
a permanent tungsten electrode plus filler wire [with AC current].
The arc is protected by argon gas (or argon-helium gas mix) to
shield the weld pool and the electrode from the surrounding
atmosphere. Arc welding is easy to use, attains a high temperature,
provides high heat input and is easy to regulate.

To ensure an acceptable weld quality, there are two basic factors to

consider - breaking loose and removing the oxide film, and preventing
the formation of new oxide during the weld process.

It is essential that proper preparations and precautions always be

taken before welding commences. The surfaces to be joined and the
area around the weld zone [~50 mm] must be degreased using a
solvent [acetone or toluene] and a clean cloth. The area must be
clean and completely dry as grease and moisture can form gases
and cause pores in the welded joint. The metal surface must be
lightly mechanically brushed in and around the weld, after degreasing,
to remove surface oxides and to avoid oxide inclusion in the weld.
Use a brush reserved for aluminium use only and kept free of oil
contamination. The high melting- temperature [~2000ºC] surface
oxides must be removed just prior to welding (at least within three
hours or less).

Welding must not be done in draughty areas as draughts can

easily reduce the inert gas protection and interrupt the arc, resulting
in a sub-standard weld. The weld must be properly shielded with the
inert gas at the correct flow rate, and of the required purity, and
nozzle distances must not vary from the weld point.

* More information on successful welding techniques is given later

in this book.

4
Notes about Aluminium:
z Aluminium is alloyed with a range of other metals to change its
properties to suit specific applications. Aluminium is light weight
[about one-third the weight of steel].
z Aluminium has high thermal conductivity [3 to 5 times that of
steel] which means heat is easily conducted away from the
welding area. It is essential that the heat source is powerful
enough to rapidly reach aluminium's low melting point of 565 /
650ºC. Welding hot and fast usually gives the best results.
Heavy sections are best preheated to reduce the effect of rapid
heat loss.
z Aluminium's coefficient of thermal expansion is high [twice that
of steel] - so it is prone to distortion and stress inducement if the
proper welding procedure is not followed.
z Aluminium does not change colour when heated. Be careful!
z Aluminium is a reactive metal that quickly forms a surface oxide
layer.
z Aluminum suffers a reduction in strength in the weld area [unlike
steel]. When stressed, a welded aluminium structure will incur
local deformation in the welded area first.
z Welding aluminium alloys demands very clean working practice
as they are prone to contamination. [Tools such as brushes or
mill wheels used on steel or other metals must not be used on it.].

2. The Aluminium Alloys

Aluminium is not just a single material, but a family of a variety of

alloys grouped according to the alloy elements added and that
provide the best combination of properties for a particular application.
Alloy requirements may include strength, corrosion resistance
enhancement, ductility, ease of welding, formability or combinations
of some of these properties.

The alloys are described by a four digit numbering system:

1xxx Series: Pure aluminium (> 99,5% Al) with only trace elements.
This material is soft with low mechanical strength, but high

5
conductivity. Used mainly in packaging and electrical applications
[e.g. cables and bus bars]. Common alloys are 1050, 1070, 1100,
1200 and 1350. Welding filler metal is usually chosen to match the
high purity so AWS ER 1050 or ER 1100 is commonly used though
AWS ER 4043 is sometimes specified.

2xxx Series: Contains copper additions up to 6%, which allows

hardening by heat treatment. Developed as a high strength alloy
typically used for aircraft components, it can only be welded if the
copper content is below 1%. The most common alloys are 2011,
2014, 2017 and 2024 and are rarely welded.

3xxx Series: Contains manganese additions of up to 1,5%. Used

for roof sheeting, vehicle panelling and general sheet metal work.
Commonly used alloys are 3003, 3004 and 3103. Welding filler
material normally used is AWS ER 4043.

4xxx Series: Contains silicon up to 13% and widely used in casting

and filler materials. Common casting alloys are A413/CEN 47100/
LM 20, and A380/LM 24, CEN 44100/LM6, and A357/CEN 42100/
LM25.
Filler metals normally used are AWS ER 4043 or ER 4047 being 6%
and 12% silicon respectively. ER 4047 is commonly used for braz-
ing aluminium alloys because of its low melting temperature.

5xxx Series: Contains up to 5% magnesium and widely used for

engineering components, pressure vessels and transport equipment
in road, rail and shipping applications. The common alloys are
5083, 5454 and 5251. Filler materials normally match the base
material and can be of types AWS ER 5356, ER 5183 and ER 5554.

6xxx Series: Contain additions of silicon and manganese up to 1,7

% and 1,2% respectively. Used extensively for extruded sections of
all shapes and sizes. Common alloys are 6063, 6082 and 6061.
Filler materials normally used are AWS ER 4043 which give the
highest degree of ease of welding, and ER 5356 which gives a
better colour match where the welded assembly is to be anodised.

6
7xxx Series: Contains additions of zinc, magnesium and some-
times copper. Used typically for aircraft structures, military bridges,
armoured vehicles and drilling rods where high strength to mass
ratio is important alongside weldability. Alloys with less than 1% cop-
per are weldable. Common alloys are 7017, 7020 and 7075. Filler
material normally used is AWS ER 5356.

8xxx Series and 9xxx Series: Special alloys, rarely used in South
Africa.

3. Welding Filler Material Selection:

One must consider what the most important characteristic is for a

particular weld - and then carefully select the correct filler
material accordingly. When welding dissimilar alloys such careful
selection becomes even more important as the required strength,
ductility, corrosion resistance, low temperature service capability or
colour match for anodising may be the dominant factor in deciding
which filler to use. Table 1 on page 8 gives recommended filler
materials for welding of alloys.

When a filler metal is used, the weld deposit alloy is a mixture of the
filler metal and the base metal. The properties of this “new” alloy
determine to some extent to properties of the joint - influenced by
the degree of dilution of the weld metal by the base metal. Weld
cracking is reduced by keeping base alloy dilution of the weld metal
to a minimum.

4. Effects of Heat on Aluminium:

The different wrought aluminium alloy families are split into two
groups: Non-heat treatable and heat treatable.

Unless the base metal is in the annealed or as-cast condition, fusion

welding decreases the strength of both heat and non-heat treatable
alloys.

7
 Table 1. Filler Material Selection for Various Wrought and
Base metal 1070A 1145 3004 5052 5083
To 1200 1350 5042
Base metal 3003 3103 3105 5251 5182

1070A 1145 1100 4043 4043 5356

1200 1350 (b) (d) (d) (b) (d)
3003 3103
3105 4043 (d) 4043 (d) 5356
3004 (d)

5251 5356 5356

5042 (a) (b) (d)
5052
5182 5183
5083 (d)

5454
6005 6060
6063 6070
6082 6101A
6261 6463
7017 7005
7020
EN 43 100
EN 44 100
EN 42 000
EN 42 100

Notes to Table 1:
1) The filler metal shown for each combination of base metals is the one
most commonly used. However, the specific filler metal selected depends
upon usage and type of joint and, in a number of cases, acceptable
alternatives are recommended (footnotes 'a' to 'd' below).
2) Filler metals conform to the requirements of AWS Specification A5.10-80.
3) Exposure to certain chemicals or sustained temperature (over 65 °C)
may limit choice of filler alloys. Filler alloys 5183, 5356 and 5556 should
not be used in sustained elevated-temperature service.
a] 5183, 5356, 5554, 5556 and 5654 may be used. In some cases
they provide:
8
Casting Alloys
5454 6005 6060 7017 EN 42000
6063 6070 EN 42100
6082 6101A 7020 EN 43100
6261 6463 7005 EN 44100
4043 4043 5356 4043
(d) (b) (d)

5356 4043 5356 4043

(a) (d) (b) (d)

5356 5356 5356 4043

(a) (a) (b) (a) (a)

5356 5356 5183 5356

(d) (d) (d) (b) (d)
5554 5356 5356 4043
(b) (d) (a) (b) (a) (a)
4043 5356 4043
(a) (a) (b) (a)

5356 4043
(a) (a)
4043
(c)

(i) Improved colour match after anodising,

(ii) higher weld ductility, and
(iii) higher weld strength. 5554 is suitable for elevated temperature
service. Castings welded with these filler metals should not be
subjected to post-weld artificial ageing.
[b] 4043 may be used for some applications. Commonly used in
welding cast alloys.
[c] Filler metal with the same analysis as the base metal is some
times used.
[d] 5186, 5356 or 5556 may be used.

9
Non-heat treatable alloys in the 1xxx, 3xxx and 5xxx series go
through cold working processes in the mill, in order to increase
mechanical strength. The degree of cold work is termed strain
hardening and is designated by "H", after the alloy description,
normally followed by two digits indicating the specific operations
performed to achieve the condition and the degree of strain hardening
achieved. The heat produced during welding will cause the material
to return towards its original condition before it was cold worked.
Therefore one tries to control the area of heat affected zone by
using stringer weld beads and sequencing the welding to keep the
material as cool as possible. If excessive heat input is used because
of weaving or very wide weld beads and the metal is not allowed to
cool down, the heat-affected zone (HAZ) will become excessively
wide and so possibly weaken the joint.

Heat treatable alloys in the 2xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx series acquire
strength through heat treatment. The process is designated by the
letter 'T' after the alloy description and the 'T' is followed by a digit,
which indicates the specific process (e.g. 'T6'). The additional heat
produced during welding will, in effect, give the material additional
heat treatment often resulting in an over aged condition with a
coarse structure in the heat-affected zone. This is detrimental to the
alloy strength.

To minimize this heat effect it is necessary to weld with low heat

input and to ensure that the material does not remain at a high tem-
perature for too long. This is achieved by planning the welding
sequence so as to weld on cold material at all times. Where such a
welding sequence is specified it is vital that the sequence of welds
be adhered to.

10
 5. Welding Processes for Aluminium

A variety of welding processes can be used to join aluminium including

the fusion methods GMAW (standard MIG, plasma and pulse) and
GTAW (standard TIG and plasma) giving high quality, all-position
welding, manual, mechanised or fully automatic. Also resistance,
MMA (metal arc, stick) and advanced processes such as solid state and
friction stir welding. Choice of process is based on technical and/or
economic reasons.

For most structural economical and quality welds, TIG and MIG are
recommended for aluminium.

TIG welding is generally preferred for light gauge work up to 6 mm

and for pipe work and intricate assemblies where excellent control
over weld appearance and penetration is possible. Thicker material
can be welded using TIG, but the very high currents needed, together
with the very slow welding speeds required, render the process
uneconomic for thick materials (> 12,5 mm). Butt, fillet, lap and edge
welds can be carried out using TIG welding.

MIG welding is preferred for thicker sections [to over 75 mm] and
where high productivity is needed for economic reasons. MIG
welding can deposit up to about 4,5 kg per hour with weld travel
speeds of 500 to 1000 mm per minute. Drawbacks of the MIG
welding process are that control of penetration is difficult and edge
welds are not possible. Pipe welding using MIG welding is not
common because of the poor penetration control. Butt, fillet and lap
joints are the most common configurations for MIG welding. Joint
preparation is needed for thickness above typically 6 mm.

MIG advantages over TIG are greater penetration depths, narrower

HAZs and one-handed semi-automatic welding. MIG weld joint
quality compared to TIG welding gives better strength, penetration
(especially into the root of fillet welds), corrosion resistance, durability
and finish appearance and less distortion. MIG welding is easier
to learn than TIG. TIG welding is preferred for repair welding of

11
castings, but MIG is preferred when welding castings to sheet and
plate and extrusions [fabrication].

MIG welding speeds are about twice that of TIG, and higher for thick
section welding. High speeds result in fast cooling of the weld area,
which minimises distortion. High speeds and fast cooling of the weld
area prevent mechanical properties of the joint from being reduced
as much as they are by slower welding. Speed means corrosion
resistance of the base metal in the HAZ is not reduced as much by
MIG as by TIG. When TIG welding, the operator is limited to the
length of weld that can be made by the length of filler wire - usually
not more than 25 cm - without breaking the arc. With MIG and the
filler wire being added automatically, welds of 60 cm are possible
without breaking the arc. This results in fewer weld craters and more
cm of weld per hour. TIG manual filler addition means the welder
has complete control of the weld puddle at all times - a definite
advantage, and especially in butt welding of small and medium
angles and other shapes. This control is an advantage in welding of
castings where variable material thickness is often encountered.

Good seam welds are essentially a result of optimally set welding

parameters. Good TIG seams have a regular ripple finish and on
both sides of the seam there is a narrow, white de-oxidised zone.
The seam surface has a bright finish and is smooth and free of
scaling deposits. Good MIG seams have a uniform fine ripple finish
on the seam with an excellent transition to the basic material.

5.1. The Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) or Metal Inert

Gas (MIG) Process

MIG welding uses a standard DC constant voltage power source

with a wire feed system and externally supplied inert shielding gas.
Shielding gas for MIG welding aluminium is normally high purity
argon or an argon helium mixture. The use of helium in the mixture
increases the energy of the arc and is more suitable for welding
thicker material. The welding current, arc length and electrode wire
speed are controlled by the welding machine and, once adjusted for

12
a welding procedure, do not require readjustment. The process is
very adaptable to automatic welding.

The wire feed system can be of three types, each applicable to a

particular type of work. The feeding of aluminium wire is automatic
off a spool.

The push type of wire feeder has limited application since aluminium
wire, particularly the high purity 1xxx grades, is soft and tends to
bunch up in the drive rolls and liner. Such feeders are limited to a
flexible conduit of about 3,5 m. For standard push type of feeder, 1,2
mm wire is used, and it is essential that the cable and torch assem-
bly be kept as straight as possible - or alternatively that the cable be
shortened to a maximum length of two metres. This clearly limits the
equipment to bench work and small components. Thicker wire of 1,6
mm and the higher strength grades such as 4xxx and 5xxx series
can often be fed successfully through a standard length torch cable
provided a Teflon liner is used.

The combined push and pull system has one set of drive rolls
in the wire feeder and a second set in the torch. The rolls are
synchronised such that a small tension is maintained in the wire to
prevent it bunching. This type of system can feed all wire diameters
and all grades of aluminium up to 10 metres and is generally the

13
most favoured system for larger work pieces. This system uses the
standard 300mm diameter wire spool that typically holds around 6kg
of wire.

The spool on gun system uses a small spool of wire holding 0,5
kg mounted on the welding torch. With this system no wire feed unit
is needed and the working distance from the power source is
unlimited. Wire feeding is very reliable due to the very short feeding
distance, but the spool-on-gun system has the drawbacks that the
small spools of wire can cost more per kilogram than the large spools,
and frequent spool changes are needed if a lot of welding is to be
done.

It is recommended that specialist-supplier advice be sought when

choosing gun and wire feeding systems.

Gun angle is very important when welding aluminium and needs to

be kept as near to 90° to the workpiece as possible. Welding is
carried out in the push direction only. Because of the high thermal
conductivity of aluminium careful attention must be given to the
avoidance of cold starts and crater cracks at the end of the welds.
This can be done by reversing the direction of welding for about
25 mm at the start and end of the welds or by using a tungsten car-
bide burr to feather the ends of the welds. Use of run-on and run-off
plates is another commonly used method of avoiding weld end
cracks - it is important that these only be removed by grinding.

Applications of MIG Welding

The MIG process is best suited for larger sized components in

materials of 2 mm and greater thickness. It is widely used for
manufacture of engineering components, transport equipment,
storage tanks, bus bars and pressure vessels. Generally the TIG
process produces welds of superior appearance but MIG welds are
generally stronger due to the lower heat inputs used, The MIG
process can be used in all positions as long as the correct welding
parameters are used. Modern developments in power source
technology such as pulsed and synergic MIG processes allow
14
greater control of the welding arc so that better bead appearance,
weld dimension control and improved mechanical properties can be
obtained due to a reduction of the heat input.

Pulsed Arc MIG Welding - is based on conventional MIG welding

with pulses superimposed on a low level constant background cur-
rent. It is possible to obtain controlled spray transfer at an average
current that is below the threshold value for the wire size being
used. Metal transfer is actually controlled by the frequency and level
of high pulses. Advantages with this method are:

z Use of thicker wire than with conventional MIG giving better,

more secure wire feed and lower wire costs

z Less heat transfer to the parent metal that allows welding of

thinner material (2 mm) and also results in less heat distortion
problems

z Better weld contours and less spatter problems

z Uniform through-thickness welding is possible up to 5 mm

material thickness without using backing for weld pool
containment

z Better metal transfer when welding in difficult positions.

The equipment is more expensive than conventional MIG welding,

but the advantages of the method often pay for the extra costs.

Trouble Shooting MIG Welding

Problem: Dirty weld bead, porosity

Usual causes: Plate not cleaned correctly or dirty filler wire.
Welding wire not stored correctly and over oxidised. Inadequate
cleaning action by arc. Unstable arc. Gas leaks in the hoses and
connections. Spatter build-up in the nozzle distorting the gas flow.
Torch angle and stand off distance incorrect. Shielding gas flow rate
too low [refer to Table 2]. Condensation present due to the material

15
 Table 2. Typical Semi-automatic MIG Procedures for Groove
Metal Weld Edge Joint Spacing Weld Passes
Thickness Position Preparation (mm) (F = Forward)
(Note 1) Diagram (Note 3) (R = Reverse)
(Note 2)

1,6 F A None 1
1,6 F G 2,4 1
2,4 F A None 1
2,4 F.V.H.O G 3,2 1
3,2 F.V.H.A A 0-2,4 1
3,2 F.V.H.O G 4,8 1
4,8 F.V.H B 0-1,6 1F. 1R
4,8 F.V.H F 0-1,6 1
4,8 O F 0-1,6 2F
4,8 F.V H 2,4-4,8 2
4,8 H.O H 4,8 3
6,3 F B 0-2,4 1F . 1R
6,3 F F 0-2,4 2
6,3 V.H F 0-2,4 3F . 1R
6,3 O F 0-2,4 3F . 1R
6,3 F.V H 3,2-6,4 2-3
6,3 O H 6,4 4-6
9,5 F C-90° 0-2,4 1F . 1R
9,5 F F 0-2,4 2F . 1R
9,5 V.H F 0-2,4 3F . 1R
9,5 O F 0-2,4 5F . 1R
9,5 F.V H 6,4-9,5 4
9,5 O.H H 9,5 8-10
19,0 F C-60° 0-2,4 3F . 1R
19,0 F F 0-3,2 4F . 1R
19,0 V.H.O F 0-1,6 6F . 1R
19,0 F E 0-1,6 3F . 3R
19,0 V.H.O E 0-1,6 6F . 6R

Notes:
1. F=Flat; V = Vertical; H = Horizontal; O = Overhead.
2. See joint designs in Figure 1, diagrams A to K, pages 32 to 34.
3. Joint spacings and root faces should be accurately achieved using
standard welding wire diameters (1.2, 1.6, 2.4 mm, etc.)
16
Welding Aluminium (From The Aluminium Association Welding Theory and Practice)
Electrode Amps Arc Argon Arc Approximate
Wire DC Voltage Gas Travel Electrode
Diameter (Note 4) Flow Rate Speed Consumption
(mm) (l / Min) (mm / sec) (kg / 100m)

0,8 70-100 15-20 12 10-19 3,2

0,8 70-100 15-20 12 10-19 3,0
0,8-1,2 90-150 18-22 14 10-19 2,7
0,8 110-130 18-23 14 10-13 3.0
0,8-1,2 120-150 20-24 14 10-13 3,0
0,8-1,2 110-135 19-23 14 6-12 4,5
0,8-1,2 130-175 22-26 16 10-13 6,0
1,2 140-160 23-27 16 10-13 7,5
1,2 140-175 23-27 28 10-13 7,5
1,2-1,6 140-185 23-27 16 10-13 4,0
1,6 130-175 23-27 28 10-15 15.0
1,2-1,6 175-200 24-28 19 10-13 9,0
1,2-1,6 165-185 24-29 19 10-13 12,0
1,2 165-190 25-29 21 10-15 15.0
1,2-1,6 180-200 25-29 28 10-13 15,0
1,2-1,6 175-225 25-29 19 10-13 18,0
1,2-1,6 170-200 25-29 28 11-17 18,0
1,6 225-290 26-29 23 8-13 24,0
1,6 210-275 26-29 23 10-15 27,0
1,6 190-220 26-29 26 10-13 30,0
1,6 200-250 26-29 38 11-17 30,0
1,6 210-290 26-29 23 10-13 52,5
1,6 190-260 26-29 38 11-17 75,0
2,4 340-400 26-31 28 6-8 75,0
2,4 325-375 26-31 28 7-8 105,0
1,6 240-300 26-30 38 10-13 112,5
1,6 270-330 26-30 28 7-10 105,0
1,6 230-280 26-30 38 7-10 112,5

4. For 5xxx electrodes, use a welding current in the high side of the range
and an arc voltage in the lower side of the range. 1xxx, 2xxx and 4xxx
series electrodes will use the lower currents and higher arc voltages.

17
and wire being below ambient temperature / requiring preheating.
Gas purity not adequate, less than 99,995% (N4.5) purity. Grinding
disks used on a two-sided butt weld causing gross inclusions - use
only tungsten carbide burrs for back chipping or beveling plate
edges.

Problem: Arc length fluctuates. Burn backs

Usual causes: Disturbed wire feed. Maladjustment of filler wire
spool brake and filler wire feed and wire straightener incorrect
settings. Incorrect power source settings. Contact tip clearance is
restricted or tip needs reaming. Teflon liner cut to incorrect length or
blocked with shavings or oxide. Incorrect drive rollers used.

Problem: Lack of fusion. Faulty full penetration weld.

Usual causes: Oxide not properly removed from material or
contact tip to work piece distance excessive. Welding current and
voltage too low or wire diameter too large - refer to Table 2. Weld
speed too high. Inadequate heat-up of welding location. Arc too
long. Inadequate seam edge preparation.

Problem: Weld seam cracks.

Usual causes: Unsuitable filler, welding stresses excessive, and/or
shrinkage obstruction.

18
 5.2. The Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) or Tungsten
Inert Gas (TIG) Process

TIG welding is widely used for welding aluminium and it produces

welds of good appearance and quality. A constant current AC power
source with a continuous high frequency is used with a water or
air-cooled TIG torch and an externally supplied inert shielding gas.
The AC process is used to provide a degree of cleaning of the
aluminium surface during the electrode positive cycle though this is not
a substitute for proper cleaning of the base material. The tungsten
electrode diameter is usually about 2,4 mm and the method can be
used with or without filler metal. The filler material is fed into the weld
bead from outside. TIG welding gives the welder very good control, but
welding speed is normally slower than for MIG and requires higher
welder competence.

The choice of torch cooling depends upon welding parameters and

duty cycle. They are usually water-cooled. Air-cooled torches can be
used at up to about 100 amps. Zirconiated tungsten electrodes (which
are preferred over the thoriated type), and of the correct diameter for
the current, are used (see Table 3). The end of the electrode is prepared

19
by reducing the tip diameter to 2/3 of the original diameter and then
striking an arc on a piece of scrap material. This creates a ball on
the end of the electrode. The ball must not be larger than 11/2 times
the electrode diameter. A good indication that the electrode diameter
is suitable for the welding current is to observe the ball diameter and
the ease with which it forms. An electrode that is too small for the
welding current will form an excessively large ball, whereas too
large an electrode will not form a satisfactory ball at all.

The torch must be maintained at an angle of close to 90° to the

workpiece surface and the filler material must enter the weld pool at
an angle of typically 5°. As well as the workpiece being properly
clean it is important that the filler rod is also clean. If the rod has
been exposed to air for a long time it is advisable to clean it by
pulling the rod through a 'Scotchbrite' type of abrasive pad or
through stainless steel wool in order to remove the oxide layer.

Applications of TIG Welding

The TIG welding process is best suited for thin gauge materials up to
about 6 mm thick, but preferably only up to 4mm for best economy.
Thicker material can be TIG welded, but this would require many more
weld passes and results in high heat inputs, leading to distortion and
reduction in mechanical properties of the base metal. High quality
welds with good appearance can be achieved due to the very high
degree of control available - the heat input and filler additions are
controlled separately. TIG welding can be carried out in all positions
and the process is always preferred for tube and pipe work and small,
thin components.

20
 Trouble Shooting TIG Welding

Problem: Dirty weld bead. Porosity.

Usual causes: Plate and filler rod not cleaned correctly. Shielding
gas purity is too low; use 99,995% (N4.5) purity minimum. Gas
hoses or connections are leaking. Torch cooling water bypassing
seals. Gas shield disturbed by draughts. Incorrect torch and filler rod
angles. Tungsten electrode is off center. Ceramic nozzle is
damaged [this does not wear out, but is easily cracked or broken].
Grinding disks used on a two-sided butt weld cause gross
inclusions; use only tungsten carbide burrs for back chipping.

Problem: Tungsten inclusions.

Usual causes: Electrode touching weld pool. Undersized electrode
for the welding current used. Excessive welding current. Contaminated
electrode.

Problem: Weld seam cracks.

Usual causes: Unsuitable filler alloy wire, welding stresses
excessive, shrinkage obstruction.

Problem: Faulty full penetration weld.

Usual causes: Wrong welding power, welding speed too high or
too low, weld pool too hot or too cold, incorrect welding gap.

6. Guide to Welders
How to avoid pitfalls beyond your control

Before welding work is started check the following to ensure an

adequate chance of success:

z Fit up
Aluminium is very intolerant of poor “fit up”. Joint gaps greater than
1,5 mm are difficult to fill in aluminium and will seriously compromise
the life of the fabrication.

21
 Table 3. Recommended Practices for Manual AC TIG Welding of

Plate Thickness Welding Position Alternating Current

(mm) (See Note 1) Joint Type (Amps)

1,6 F Square butt 70-100

1,6 H, V Square butt 70-100
1,6 O Square butt 60-90

3,2 F Square butt 125-160

3,2 H, V Square butt 115-150
3,2 O Square butt 115-150

6,4 F 60° Single bevel

6,4 H, V 60° Single bevel 225-275
6,4 O 100° Single bevel 200-240
210-260

9,5 F 60° Single bevel 325-400

9,5 H, V 60° Single bevel 250-320
9,5 O 100° Single bevel 275-350

12,5 F 60° Single bevel 375-450

12,5 H, V 60° Single bevel 250-320
12,5 O 100° Single bevel 275-340

Notes:
1. F = Flat; V = Vertical; H = Horizontal; O = Overhead
2. Diameters are for standard pure or zirconium tungsten electrodes.
Thoriated tungsten electrodes are not generally used for AC TIG
22
Aluminium

Electrode Diameter Argon Gas Filler Rod

(mm) Flow Rate Diameter Number of
(See Note 2) (l / Min) (mm) Passes

1,6 5 2,4 1
1,6 5 2,4 1
1,6 5 2,4 1

2,4 8 3,2 1
2,4 8 3,2 1
2,4 8 3,2 1

4,0 10 4,8 2
4,0 10 4,8 2
4,0 10 4,8 2

6,4 10 6,4 2
4,8 10 4,8 3
4,8 10 4,8 3

6,4 12 3 3
4,8 12 3 3
4,8 12 4 4

23
z Alignment
Welds are designed to carry a specific load and any additional
load will shorten the life of the weld. Any radial or angular
misalignment should be corrected before attempting to weld.
Such additional loads can be the result of unpredicted loads
such as bending because of poor joint alignment.

z Humidity
Molten aluminium has a high solubility for hydrogen, but on
solidification the gas bubbles remain trapped in the weld as
spherical porosity. This does not seriously affect the strength of
the weld, but it considerably reduces the ductility. Joints should
be fully protected from moisture. Where humidity cannot be
avoided, such as in coastal conditions particularly during early
morning, then a local preheat of typically 100 °C can be applied.
The use of temperature indicating crayons is helpful to ensure
that the correct temperature is attained. This preheat should be
followed by normal cleaning procedures. Any preheat should be
applied with caution since some alloys can suffer a serious loss
of properties if too high a temperature is maintained for too long.

z Wind
The gas shield used in the MIG or TIG welding process is quite
fragile and easily disturbed by wind. Whilst this is easily taken
care of in the workshop it can become a serious problem in site
work. Under windy conditions wind breaks must be erected
around the welding area. Failure of the gas shield allows rapid
oxidation of the weld pool, causing oxide inclusions.

z Alloy weldability
The welder should check before starting to weld that he has
been supplied with the correct material. This applies to the filler
wire or rods as well as to the material to be welded.

z Equipment condition
Before welding it is always good practice to check the
equipment condition - not only for quality reasons but also to

24
 ensure welder safety. Check the overall condition of the welding
machine, the torch, nozzle and cable for any damage. The
contact tip in a MIG torch wears surprisingly quickly and any
play between the wire and the contact tip must be rectified by
replacing the tip, otherwise the ability of the welding current to
pass into the wire is seriously reduced. This leads to erratic
feeding and reduced weld quality. The gas hose must be securely
attached to the regulator and the welding machine or wire
feeder, and must be free from obvious damage such as cracks
or splits. The work cable must be free from damage and securely
connected to the machine and the work clamp. It is impossible
to produce quality welds without sound electrical connections all
the way round the welding circuit.

z Weld preparation
Correct weld preparation is vital if quality welds are to be
achieved. In most workshops the welder does not prepare his
own joints, so he must always check that the weld preparation
matches the drawing on the weld procedure. Attempting to weld
without the correct weld preparation seriously compromises the
chances of obtaining a good quality weld and such defective
preparation must be rectified. Part of weld preparation is
cleaning to remove any contamination from the area to be welded.

z Weld significance (Criticality of specific welds)

The welder should be familiar with the design of the fabrication
in order to ascertain which, if any, of the welds are especially
critical so that they can have the utmost care and attention
devoted to them whilst others may tolerate a slightly less
stringent approach to the work.

z Welding plan and sequencing

Attempting to weld without the correct welding procedure
seriously reduces the possibility of obtaining a good quality job.
It is essential that the welder adhere strictly to the given welding
procedure, particularly with regard to the welding parameters of
voltage, current, travel speed and welding sequence since

25
 these have a great influence on the mechanical properties of the
weld as well as on distortion.

z Welding process
It is vital that the welding process specified in the welding
procedure is used to carry out the weld since some joint types
and weld preparations are more suited to one particular welding
process and it is very difficult to obtain good quality welds by the
wrong process. If a welding machine breaks down then it must
be repaired or replaced before the job can proceed; it is not
acceptable to substitute for example a TIG machine with a MIG
machine. Similarly, if the welding procedure calls for the weld to
be carried out, for example, in the down-hand position and a
crane is not available to turn the work piece then welding must
be discontinued until the job can be turned. If preheat has been
applied then this must be maintained during the delay, but
welding must not be carried out in a position other than that
called for by the defined welding procedure.

z Check procedure is relevant

The welding procedure provided to the welder must be the
correct one for the job to be done otherwise he is guessing how
to carry out the weld. Drawing numbers or job numbers as
appropriate in the particular organisation must be correlated to
ensure that the weld procedure is appropriate to the particular job.

z Settings
The welding machine must be capable of being set to the
welding parameters needed for the job. This means that volt
meters and current meters must be in good working order and
calibrated to ensure accuracy and conformance with the
welding procedure. In addition - an independent measuring
device such as a clamp type multi-metre with ranges adequate
for the welding process should be available for periodic checks
of the welding machine metres - especially when the welding is
carried out on a different machine to that on which the welding
procedure was developed. Normally a welding procedure

26
 specifies a small range of parameters and it is essential that the
welder adhere to these.

z Filler wire type, cleanliness

The wire or filler rods must be the correct type for the job and be
clean and free of contamination. Whilst MIG wire is generally
supplied clean the spool should preferably be removed from the
wire feeder at the end of the shift and placed in a clean plastic
bag overnight. At the very least the wire should be covered
overnight to keep it clean. MIG wire is best used within as short
a period as possible after being opened as it, like the base
material, forms an oxide layer and can therefore contribute to
oxide inclusions in the weld. TIG filler rods should be kept in
their original packing, often a plastic tube, until needed. If
contamination is suspected, then the rods must be wiped with a
clean cloth soaked in a solvent such as acetone, and then
pulled through a 'Scotchbrite' or stainless steel wool pad.

z Gas type, flow, suitability, purity, contamination

The type of gas to be used is defined in the welding procedure
and the welder must ensure that he is using the correct gas.
Argon or argon-helium mixtures are usually used for welding
aluminium and the heat of the arc and therefore the penetration
of the weld depend on using the correct gas. A helium addition
to the gas increases the arc energy, so substituting pure argon
for this mixture would reduce the weld penetration particularly
on thicker material and lead to defective welds. The required
gas flow must be adhered to since too little gas results in a loss
of shielding causing oxide inclusions. Too high a gas flow
causes turbulence in the gas shield that entrains air and also
causes oxide inclusions. A gas purity of 99.995% is needed and
the welder must check when he is issued with a new cylinder
that the label on the cylinder indicates suitable gas purity.
Where gas impurity is suspected, it is possible that the welding
equipment is actually contaminating the gas. When water cooled
torches are being used, water leaks can occur allowing moisture
to contaminate the gas and cause hydrogen porosity. Oil or

27
 grease is never needed on gas fittings and if such contamination
occurs then it must be thoroughly cleaned.

7. Distortion Control

For a given change in temperature aluminium expands or contracts

about twice as much as steel and this can give rise to considerable
distortion as a weld cools. Precautions therefore need to be taken to
control this otherwise the welded structure may well be unusable.
Typical types of distortion include longitudinal shrinkage, transverse
shrinkage, angular distortion and bowing.

Following three basic rules when welding can minimise distortion.

Rule 1 - Reduce the effective shrinking force:

Do not over weld.
The use of excessive weld metal over and above that needed to
meet the service requirements of the weld is not only wasteful
but increases distortion. Ensure proper edge preparation and fit
up. This will allow the minimum amount of weld metal to produce
a strong joint.
Use few passes.
The use of many, small passes increases lateral distortion. Use
of fewer passes with a large diameter electrode minimises
lateral distortion.
Place welds near the neutral axis of the device.
This minimises the effective shrinkage force since the weld does
not have sufficient leverage to pull the plates out of alignment.
Use intermittent welds.
This also reduces the amount of weld metal and can result in
significant cost savings as well as minimising distortion.
Use back step welding technique to produce a continuous weld
This involves welding a number of overlapping beads with the
general direction of welding being, say from right to left, but
each individual bead being welded from left to right.

28
Rule 2 - Make shrinkage forces work to minimise distortion:
Locate parts out of position.
Pre-setting the parts such that the contracting weld metal pulls
them into proper alignment when the weld cools is a common
way of using the shrinkage of the weld metal to advantage.
Space the parts to allow for shrinkage.
Calculation backed up by experiments will indicate how much
space needs to be left for parts to shrink into correct alignment
when the weld cools.
Pre-bending components may be appropriate so that the contracting
weld metal straightens them as it cools.

Rule 3 - Balance shrinkage forces with other forces / with

another:
This can often be achieved by adhering to a welding sequence,
which places weld metal at different points around the structure so
that the shrinkage of one weld counteracts the distortion caused by
a previous weld. Peening the weld bead as it cools stretches the
weld, thus counteracting its tendency to contract and shrink as it
cools. Use jigs and fixtures - the most common method of distortion
control, it relies on clamping the work firmly so that the weld is
forced to stretch as it cools.

8. MMA (Manual Metal Arc) Welding of Aluminium

MMA welding of aluminium is possible, but not generally used in

manufacturing. It is most often used for repair welding of cast
components where a once off' repair is needed and TIG equipment
is not available. Most electrode suppliers have a limited range of
aluminium electrodes, often only one type which is usually a 4xxx
series alloy since the electrode is usually used to repair a casting.
The process requires a DC constant current power source with an
open circuit voltage greater than 60 volts. The electrode produces
an acrid fume so it must be used in an area with good ventilation.
The glassy slag often requires mechanical removal followed by hot
water rinsing to remove the last residues.

29
 9. Brazing of Aluminium

Many aluminium alloys can be successfully brazed using filler metal

with a melting temperature below that of the base metal but above
450°C. The oxide layer on the surface of the aluminium is removed
by a flux and then the filler metal flows into the joint by capillary
action. In order for this action to take place the joint gap is
maintained below 0,5 mm. A typical application for aluminium
brazing is in the manufacture of automotive radiators. The filler
metal is invariably the aluminium-silicon 4xxx series, particularly
4047. Because of the highly reactive nature of the flux, its residues
must be completely removed after brazing, usually by mechanical
methods followed by washing in hot water.

10. Codes of Manufacture

There are many situations where welds play a significant role in the
safe use of a component or where the weld quality will strongly
influence the life of a fabrication. It is recommended that a code of
manufacture is adopted to ensure that all aspects of design, material
specification, fabrication, welding and inspection are clearly
addressed. These codes would include those related to design
criteria, quality systems, welding procedure and welder qualification
and non-destructive testing. Typical codes may include AWS D1.2,
ASME B96.1 and BS 8118, which are specific to aluminium. Other
applicable codes would be BS EN 719 which deals with welding
coordination. ISO 3834 deals with quality requirements from basic
requirements to stringent requirements.

11. Other Considerations

Experience in the field has shown that aluminium welds can fail in
service.

30
In order to reduce these failures the following points should be
considered:

z Can the weld be eliminated by using designs that incorporate

extrusions or plate sizes that reduce the number of welds?

z Areas subject to fatigue in a fabrication need to be considered

with a view to the weld acting as a stress raiser. Weld reinforcements
in these areas may need to be ground flush and polished to
reduce this effect. Fillet welds, particularly in high stress areas
must be dimensionally correct, preferably concave. The weld
requirements as detailed in the welding procedure must be
adhered to. Weld stop-starts should be minimised.

z Weld quality monitoring is most important. Welding is termed a

special process and a quality management system will require
that the welding parameters be recorded on a welding record to
ensure compliance with the welding procedure specification.
Whilst it is not normally necessary to re-qualify welders who are
carrying out the same job regularly, certain contracts may need
the welder to produce a test piece for testing and qualification.

In order to ensure that welded fabrications consistently meet design

requirements, welding must be designed into the fabrication from
the drawing office - which should liaise with the workshop to
produce a detailed "weld map" that details the sequence of welds
and the length of welds, plus measures to prevent distortion and the
specific placing of welds to avoid highly stressed areas.

31
Figure 1
Typical Joint Designs for Welding Aluminium
(From Aluminium Welding Theory and Practice)
Refer to Table 2 for further details and joint spacings

Joint Spacing

t
A

t/4
Temporary backing of
2t
stainless steel or ceramic.
Min width 30mm; A
min thickness 5mm.

Joint Spacing

60° or 90°

(-0 + 10°)

Joint Spacing
4.8mm
C

32
 60° or 90°

(-0 + 10°)
D

Joint Spacing
1.6 - 2.4mm
D

90°
(-0 + 10°)

E
1.6 - 2.4mm

Joint Spacing
E

60°
(-0 + 10°)

Joint Spacing

t
F

t/4
Temporary backing of
stainless steel or ceramic. 12 - 13 1.6 - 2.4mm
Min width 40mm; mm
min thickness 10mm.
F

33
 Joint Spacing

G
t

40mm

t up to 10mm Permanent
10mm for t > 10mm Backing
G

Corner and Edge Welds

60°
(-0 + 10°) 1.6mm
H
t

40mm

t up to 10mm Permanent
10mm for t > 10mm Backing

60°
(-0 + 10°)

t/2
I t J
t

I J
t 2mm t > 2mm

34
The Aluminium Fabricators Association (AFA) operates under
the aegis of the Aluminium Federation of Southern Africa
(AFSA).

AFSA’s key objective is to promote the local fabrication of aluminium

products - from locally produced alloys and semi-fabricated products
and castings.

AFA has an active membership that serves a variety of market

sectors in South Africa while also exporting value added aluminium
products to other countries. The largest of AFSA's Associations,
AFA’s members operate in diverse market sectors from light to
heavy engineering, transport, marine, power transmission, electricity
and packaging - the heart of the down stream aluminium industry.
AFA can supply design technology to the industry. AFA's members
also include suppliers to and supporters of the aluminium fabrication
industry and especially stockists.

Strong strategic alliances have been forged with a variety of

technology based and educational institutions.

AFA concerns itself with the promotion and development of the

fabrication industry, and especially its members, through a number
of activities such as regular interaction between members to deal
with matters of common technical or industry interest. It invites
overseas experts in fabrication to address the Association and
initiates and supports research into new technology.

Amongst the range of support offered, one of AFA's most important

functions is seeking to promote industry standards with emphasis
on international quality standards such as ISO 9000:2000 - with
continuous improvement of the industry being a primary focus.
35
REFERENCE SOURCES USED IN THE COMPILATION
OF THIS GUIDE:
z The Aluminium Association: Welding Aluminium Theory &
Practice, 2nd edition, 1991
z Structural Welding Code. Aluminium AWS D1.2
z Skan Aluminium: Aluminium in product development, 1992
z Aluminium Welding Handbook: AFSA 1993
z Welding Aluminium: Alcan, 1977
z Guide to Welding Aluminium: Alcoa
z TALAT lecture notes: no 2203, 1994 concerning structural
materials fabrication
z AFSA Library - various reference texts

AFSA has a number of reference sources on welding and joining

of aluminium and its alloys, in its technical library.

Some of AFSA's members are welding consumable suppliers

and some are fabricators. Both categories can be contacted for
advice on aluminium welding.

Members and non-members are welcome to contact AFSA for

more information (which is free to members).

Aluminium Federation of
Southern Africa

Tel: 011 453 3339

Fax: 011 453 3403
Email: afsa@afsa.org.za
Website: www.afsa.org.za
This second edition [based on the first edition] was compiled
and published by The Aluminium Federation of Southern
Africa (AFSA) © 2004